Also called Tower CO by C&NW. Mayfair Yard was just a little southwest of this tower.
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| Steven J. Brown posted Metra F40PH 159 (built 1983) on the CNW Harvard Sub crossing the Milwaukee Road North Line going by Mayfair Tower in Chicago, Illinois - April 16, 1997. Steven J. Brown shared Karl Beetschen: I can tell you in my opinion that nothing has run the same since they’ve razed that tower. Never hear the operator at CY tell us to give him a good move, it just goes red. |
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| Jason Simon -> RAILROAD HISTORY BUFFS OF ILLINOIS |
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| 1897 |
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| Bird's Eye View |
According to the satellite image, both routes are elevated, so I can't drive there and easily verify that the jointed rail in the photo has been replaced with CWR (Continuous Welded Rail).
The junction is in the upper-left corner of the Bird's Eye View. If you zoom in and pan the area between the raillines, you can see that many of the smokestacks in the background of the photo are still standing. I counted seven in the Bing Map.
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| Lou Gerard posted Penn Central E8 4061 leads an Amtrak train to Milwaukee past Mayfair Tower in July 1973. |
William Shapotkin posted four photos with the comment:
Located NE of the intersection of Montrose/Cicero on Chicago's Northwest Side is Mayfair -- the crossing of the UP (C&NW)/METRA (MILW). A tower ("Mayfair") controlled the crossing for many years and on December 26, 1996, an intrepid photographer got out and took these photos of the tower. Photographer Unknown/William Shapotkin Collection.The crossing is now controlled by CY Tower (although I understand that on weekends it is controlled by the UP Harvard Sub Dispatcher in Omaha, NE).
Edward Kwiatkowski shared
William Shapotkin also posted
Guy Miller: The tower also once controlled entrance to the small Mayfair Yard. The south end of the yard led to the Cragin Line.
William Shapotkin: Guy Miller Yes -- as well as entrance to the Skokie/Weber lines, which headed north from here.
Mike Bartels: Wallace W. Abbey had a classic piece in the December 1952 Trains & Travel, as Trains was called for a time, about working Mayfair on New Year's night 1948 after a severe sleet storm had downed wires and disrupted operations.
Bob Friedlander: How do they decide what railroad decides who is going to man the towers when there were two railroads involved? And I even have found some of those old telegraph things the maintainer used to send signals along the lines before and used maybe after the phones?
William Shapotkin: Bob Friedlander The general rule was that the junior railroad would operate/maintain the tower/xing, with costs divided betw the two roads (there was usually a formuly, which obligated the junior road to cover more than half the expenses). That said, often the senior road would agree to operate/maintain the facility -- knowing that the tower operator would favor its train movements over the "other" railroad.
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| Photo 1 -- Looks N/W. |
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| Photo 2 -- Looks S/E (Timetable E/B) on UP across METRA trks. |
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| Photo 3 -- Looks South (across UP trks). |
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| Photo 4 --Looks North (across METRA trks). |
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| Mike Raia posted CB&Q Empire Builder crossing the C&NW at Mayfair on April 17, 1965. The Q trains were running on the Milwaukee Road due to flooding of the Mississippi River. Bill Raia photo. Mike Raia shared Matt McClure: Summer of 1986 severe flooding at Ft. Madison put all ATSF trains in their Kodachrome glory on the former Milwaukee Road. Spectacular to watch in Elgin. Thomas Karsten: Derail in the foreground is on the lead to the Mayfair yard and eventually the Weber line just east of Cicero Ave to the 40 th street yard at Lake st. Gail Young-Fearon's Husband: Thomas Karsten do you know much about about the Weber line? Is it active from Wilson going north? Dennis DeBruler: Gail Young-Fearon's Husband The overpasses are intact, but the tracks are gone and they have let the vegetation win. Gail Young-Fearon's Husband: Dennis DeBruler I kind of sensed that, it's kind of crazy but the line along Cicero by Lawrence, is the eastern most viaduct at Montrose and the expressway, but then, south of Irving, this Weber line(?) splits from another line thats traveling southeast and this Weber line parallels Cicero (2 blocks east) going down past Division, that's as far as I went. My interest in the Weber line is that it. Or its ROW goes all the way into Evanston towards McCormick and Green Bay road. From what I have read negotiations were occurring to get the ROW and turn it into a walking/ bike path like the 606. I find that idea intriguing, except the RR want big money I guess for the land. This I find odd as I too saw that parts of it has no track and is over grown. The Weber line splits again as it comes out of Labagh Woods at Bryn Mar east of Cicero with the principle line going northeast and the other going north-northwest. This north ROW Is now cleared, paved and is a walking/bike path as it goes thru Lincolnwood. I keep thinking the northeast ROW could be a path going towards the Gross Pointe Lighthouse. Dennis DeBruler: Gail Young-Fearon's Husband Here is more info on the Weber Branch including the Weber Yard: https://industrialscenery.blogspot.com/.../abanc-weber... Thomas Karsten: Gail Young-Fearon's Husband Only one customer left on the south end, a bakery near Palmer st., used to be called Mary Ann. Mike Raia: Thomas Karsten now called Alpha Baking. Served twice a week. |
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| Steven J. Brown posted Milwaukee Road GP38-2 354 (built 1973, became Soo Line 4504 to KCS 2022) at Mayfair Tower in Chicago, Illinois - June 7, 1977. Steven J. Brown shared Doug Jirsa Great composition! Steven J. Brown 15 year old me thanks you! (Present me too.) Albert Carello In Milwaukee Road's final years those Freights would be seen frequently on the mainline going through Morton Grove, Glenview, Golf, and Techny on the passenger mainline! |
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| One of eight photos posted by David Thompson Recently on the Forgotten Chicago Discussion Page a member has posted pictures of the Expressways being built. Here are some railroad related items. All pictures are mid to late 50s. Mayfair Tower on left with unfinished NW Expwy. Kennedy at Edens Junction. (Chuck Sanders Collection) |
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| Marty Bernard posted I was bumming around the north side of Chicago on June 24, 1973 and at Mayfair Tower I caught a CNW light engine move. The Tower is located on Cicero Avenue just north of Montrose Avenue. The two lines that cross there are the Union Pacific's ex-C&NW Northwest Line and the Metra Milwaukee North route, which is the former Milwaukee Road main line to Milwaukee and the Twin Cities. Mayfair Tower was closed in 1997 and razed the same year. Marty Bernard shared Glen Koshiol: Mayfair at on time was busy as it was the route to 40th st. And a connection to the BRC at Augusta Blvd. Used to deliver CNW cars in the three track yard. Pete Fileca: Is that light signal on the left green? Jon Roma: Pete Fileca, that's a train order signal. John Haynes: Is there anything in particular that marks a train order signal as such, or is it simply part of the physical characteristics of the territory to know what it is? From what I’ve seen, placement often gives a train order signal away as such (i.e. very close to the tower, or diamond). Jon Roma: John Haynes, it is distinguished from an absolute signal by being inside the plant, and on the left side of the track. In the absence of special instructions to the contrary, a train order signal governed ALL movements traveling in the direction it faced, regardless of which track. However, as you noted, an employee's physical characteristics qualification is important to recognize what the signal is – and even more important, how to respond to it (or to observe if an indication is absent). Marty Bernard shared Kenneth Pochocki: I got a feeling that the Crandell is OTS and being towed to 40th street M19A |
Steven J. Brown posted a couple of pictures. His comment:
Two images of trains at Mayfair taken standing on the the same spot. The slide mounts say June 1982, but from the lighting and the leafless trees, I suspect it is probably February or March. The first frame is RTA (later Metra) F40PH 128 on the Chicago and Northwestern Northwest line. Turning slightly right and waiting just a few moments, F40C 46 on a Milwaukee Road North line train.
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| Steven J. Brown posted The last bit of light is fading as Metra F40C 610 heads for Fox Lake thru Mayfair in Chicago. A CNW freight waits on the Skokie Valley line for the rush hour to abate so it can get across the Northwest Line to 40th Street Yard. March 18, 1988. |
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| Mark Hinsdale posted ... @ Mayfair in Chicago's Northwest. Crossing of Chicago & North Western's Northwest Line, from Chicago to Harvard and Madison WI, and Milwaukee Road's Chicago to Milwaukee main line. Here, 5031B leads a long rush hour train out of town in June, 1977. Photo by Mark Hinsdale |
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| Jon Roma commented on above posting The attached diagram shows what the plant looked like before it was rationalized and remote controlled. According to my records, the resignaling of Mayfair interlocking was completed and control transferred to the operator at ex-C&NW "CY" Tower at Clybourn on November 16, 1996. Mayfair also controlled the Grayland interlocking; when the above change took place in late 1996, Metra operators were sent to Mayfair to operate the Grayland plant, until Metra's signal department converted that plant to be remote controlled from their Tower A-5, on March 3, 1997, at which time Mayfair Tower was closed for good. The tower was demolished on December 18, 1997. |
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| Douglas Kydd posted F-40-C at Mayfair Interlocking - 1976 Matt Ignowski obviously Mayfair has changed a lot, new platforms, searchlights are gone, the tower is gone the UP Craigin lead is single tracked and no longer sees anything more than a one car local and the weber sub sadly is long gone. |
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| Mark Llanuza posted We go back to 1980 were at Mayfair tower with covered wagons coming off the Skokie line at Mayfair tower. Jeff Lewis 6 of them working a branch line? How long was that train? Mark Llanuza posted Its April 1980 a Southbound coming off the Skokie sub crossing over at Mayfair Jct and will head down to 40th street yard. Jason Black: Man! Grew up in Wilmette and saw some trains crossing Lake Street next to Mier's Tavern, but never with this kind of lashup! Fantastic photo Mark!!! Tony Costa: not to leave out the old signal shop and oil barrels! |
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| Mark Llanuza posted Its April 1992 CNW commuter crossing Mayfair Jct Chicago IL on the Harvard sub with Metra F-40. |
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| Carl Venzke posted Milwaukee Road's 'Olympian Hiawatha' at Mayfair Tower. The Skytop sleeper-observation car of Milwaukee Road's Olympian Hiawatha bangs across the C&NW diamonds in a 1952 view from the tower at Mayfair, on the north side of Chicago. W. A. Akin Jr. photo [Note the silos of a retail coal company.] Jim Arvites posted Jon Roma The photo looks compass north-northwest. Jon Roma The powerhouse behind the elevator still stands north of the Kennedy Expressway today. [The "powerhouse" is a water supply pumping station.] Jim Arvites posted On this Day in History on May 24, 1961 the Milwaukee Road's premier passenger train the "Olympian Hiawatha" completed its final runs between Chicago and Seattle/Tacoma. Picture below of the "Olympian Hiawatha" crossing the C&NW Diamonds at Mayfair on the northside of Chicago in 1952. (W.A. Akins Jr. Photo) Andrew Stiffler Whose signal bridge is on the far right? Ryan James Boyle I think that the Weber branch to Evanston. Bridge over the Edens still extant, ROW is now a trail through Sauganash. http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/10543.aspx Jon Roma Ryan James Boyle, actually both the Weber and Skokie Subdivisions joined there. Jim Arvites posted Kevin P. Keefe Correct spelling of the photographer is Akin, not Atkins. Bill Akin was a longtime Kalmbach exec and a fine photographer. Richard Koenig Very interesting shot for the railroad landscape as well: this was prior to the Kennedy Expressway plowing through. Quite the hot-spot back in the day I would imagine. Matthias Casey This crossing was controlled by the Milwaukee Road and they held it open for there trains delaying the Northwestern trains. Paul Musselman No....the info I have read is it was a CNW tower, under their control.....it wasn't just to oversee the CNW/Milw crossover, it also controlled the CNW Mayfair Yard, which was just a ways east of the crossover......trains from that yard would cross the CNW main and head north onto the Skokie Sub, which ran diagonally NE to Evanston, joining he CNW North Line at that point. [And there are several comments discussing the observation car.] Eric Sibul shared Paul Musselman: Taken from the tower.. John J Kulidas posted The Skytop sleeper-observation car of Milwaukee Road’s Olympian Hiawatha bangs across the C&NW diamonds in a 1952 view from the tower at Mayfair, on the north side of Chicago. W. A. Akin Jr. photo Edward Mohoney: We installed switch ties under those diamonds, in 87 under live traffic with a look out, by hand. That was a huge challenge of its own! Mike Page: Edward Mohoney In 1978 when working under live traffic at the west end of the Portage yard mainlines replacing switch ties someone left a track jack on a mound of ballast to close to the rail and Amtrak hit it. It flew about 30yards, didn't hit anyone or thing luckily but it did destroy that jack for sure. Edward Mohoney: Mike Page yeah i don't know how many times we had too drop all of them jacks , we would just get all of them pumped up & have too drop them, like now! Thomas Karsten: Coal company in the background is about where the Kennedy expressway is today. On the extreme right, the signal bridge is on the old C&NW Skokie valley line, converted to a trail in the 2000’s. Picture was taken from the old C&NW Mayfair tower, removed in the late 1980’s. Mike Breski shared Jeffery Fonda: I believe the spot the photographer is standing in is here, right? Dropped pin: https://maps.app.goo.gl/qnQGL8qc4LsTDCMG6?g_st=ic |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on Jeffery's comment Your pin is close to the south end of the tower. The photographer would have been at the north end. I'm surprised how close the tower was to the C&NW tracks, but the photo shows that. https://clearinghouse.isgs.illinois.edu/webdocs/ilhap/county/data/cook/flight8/0bwq07064.jpg |
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| Jeff Grunewal commented on Jim's post This would be just south of the expressway. Looking at the satellite view, it appears that there currently is nothing where the coal silos were in the short space between the crossing and the expressways are now. The tall chimney is the Mayfair pumping station. The Cicero viaduct is visible in the lower left Dennis DeBruler  Satellite: https://www.google.com/.../@41.9584809,-87.../data=!3m1!1e3 |
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| Jon Roma commented on Jim's posting Here's an image of the track diagram of the C&NW/CMStP&P crossing and junction at Mayfair, near Montrose and Cicero on Chicago's northwest side. |
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| Robert T. Anderson posted Mayfair 1980-ish from the Bill Madison collection. He took this picture while on a break from welding rails. He spent many hours in this spot. Keith Shisler Bill welded on that diamond many times. So did I from 1987 until 1994. The wind never stops blowing up there. Cicero avenue goes directly under it and every time I went there a semi, at least one would try to drive under us and peel the top of the trailer off getting stuck under there. It was a real pain stringing cables under to get to the diamond on 1 main by the tower. I was once up there when Roadmaster Bill Lewis showed up and I spotted a 10 ft long head and web seperation 2 tail lengths from the middle diamond on the cnw tracks. I even got an atta boy for spotting it. That could have really made a big mess blocking both rrs and destroying a bunch of puzzle switches they had right there. Dennis DeBruler shared This is Mayfair Junction from the perspective of a welder, Bill Madison. He took this photo. I knew that Deval (41°57'44.7"N 87°44'50.4"W) had a crossing built over a highway (US-14). The comments on this photo taught me that the Mayfair Junction (41°57'44.7"N 87°44'50.4"W) is also built over a highway (Cicero). Are there any other crossings in Chicagoland that have diamonds in the air? |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on his share Carl Venzke posted this photo with the comment: "Milwaukee Road's 'Olympian Hiawatha' at Mayfair Tower. The Skytop sleeper-observation car of Milwaukee Road's Olympian Hiawatha bangs across the C&NW diamonds in a 1952 view from the tower at Mayfair, on the north side of Chicago. W. A. Akin Jr. photo" It shows the crossing is built on an overpass. The smokestack to the right of the tower is the Mayfair Pumping Station (41°57'53.5"N 87°44'56.0"W). |
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| Steven J. Brown posted Amtrak Hiawatha southbound at Mayfair in Chicago - April 16, 1997. |
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| Fred Van Dorpe posted A UP Northwest line scoot slams the diamonds of Mayfair junction as a Milwaukee District North line outbound waits for clearance on 7/27/17. Theres only 5 places on the entire Metra system where a scene like this can occur, Joliet, Deval junction, Prairie Crossing, Junction A2, and Mayfair junction. Taken on railroad property, without any permission  🤣Bobby Vladnt Getting pictures like this is even more impossible in Joliet Because the schedules almost never meet up and you really have to trespass to get the pictures lol Matt McClure And in Joliet there is no crossing of the diamonds by RI District trains with the new station. Aaron Grace What about Western Avenue/A2 Junction? Fred Van Dorpe Ah crud I forgot about there, but the angle isnt the same. |
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| Steven J. Brown posted Run-through ICG caboose on an empty Wisconsin Electric coal train coming off the Skokie Line at Mayfair in Chicago - February 1982. The tower and the Skokie Line are both long gone. |
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| One of several turbo train photos posted by Robert Daly Tr 335 to Milwaukee at Mayfair, May 19 1981. Mark Egebrecht They were still in the Phase 2 paint in 1981?Robert Daly The date is accurate. I was pretty careful about writing dates on my slides.Rob C Dargan That track was bad and getting worse. Worked Amtrak in 1986. |
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| Mark Hinsdale posted |
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| Steven J. Brown posted An inbound Metra Milwaukee North Line train waits for an outbound Metra CNW Northwest Line train at Mayfair in Chicago, Illinois - August 1996. Steven J. Brown shared |
Steven J. Brown postedLast night, as I was digging through my drawer of slides 1980s A-C, it slipped and dumped on the floor. I spent several hours putting the 1.5k of them back. Some of them fell into the scanner. here is one of them.
Amtrak Empire Builder #7 is accelerating away from the diamonds at Mayfair. The signal bridge on the right is for the CNW's Skokie and Weber lines. Chicago, Illinois - February 1982.
William Shapotkin posted two photos with the comment:
Many of you have, no doubt seen pictures of "Mayfair," crossing of the C&NW/MILW on Chicago's Northwest Side...while still in-use, it sure does not look the same! The tower (located in S/E quadrent of xing) and many of the running leads and track connections have long been removed.In these two view, looking N/W (C&NW timetable W/B -- now UP timetable N/B) from the "fireman's seat" of an outbound Scoot, we see these two views of what Mayfair looked like on September 11, 2012. The track at left is the still-active (I understand with only one rail customer) Cragin Branch. At right is the track connection (which, as I understand it has since been removed) leading to the one-time Skokie and Weber Branches. Visible ahead is the xing with Metra (MILW).One of the "fringe benefits" (as far as a railfan is concerned) of being a Metra employee (as I was betw 1999-2015) is the occasional job-related "familiarization" (aka "head-end") trips over the lines over which our trains operate...hence the ability to get these views.William Shapotkin photos. (Shapotkin730/729)
David Daruszka: During one really fierce winter storm we couldn't raise the operator to give us a signal on a night scoot. My genius engineer decided that the best use of his fireman was to walk to the tower in the drifting snow to "wake up the operator". I didn't get far before I fell into an old open ground level battery box. I sank in up to my armpits and somehow managed to crawl out. By then the signal magically appeared.
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on William's post Alpha Backing is the remaining customer. I'll bet those covered hoppers are carrying flour. |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on William's post Part of the expense of elevating the tracks in Chicago was that the railroads also built some elevated yards. These "elevated" junk yards south of North Ave use some former railroad yards. West of the BRC tracks was the BRC West Chicago Yard. On the east side was the C&NW Cragin Yard. Note that the C&NW overpass over North Avenue still exists. |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on William's post It continues to amaze me how many abandoned overpasses still exist in Chicago. You can tell where the Skokie Sub ran because the overpasses over I-90 (lower-left corner) and I-94 (top-left corner) still exist. |
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